Shadows in the Dark

The occult war hidden by World War II

The Reichsscwert left Berlin October 1, 1938 en route to Istanbul carrying a small crew, some cargo of both the mysterious and mundane variety, and a few passengers. There was tension in the air and war seemed very much a possibility amongst the European powers. Normally, the trains stopped following this particular route this late in the year, but the money was good and the weather promising.

The trek was boring and humdrum until the stretch between Vienna and Bucharest. As the train approached the area traditionally known as Transylvania, the situation rapidly escalated.

Out of nowhere, the trip turned into a hellish event. Dark fog rolled in from the mountain peaks, and with it came monstrous creatures of claws and fangs descending upon the train. They seemed to be battling each other more than assaulting the train, but both sides seemed intent on acquiring something in the cargo train – and the Nazi officers of the S.S. onboard were bent on keeping them from it.

Fang battled claw, forbidden and forgotten magics and modern science battled both, and the passengers were stuck in the middle of a war. There were many casualties on all sides, with the battle culminating in the escape of a captured vampire and an unknown young boy from the cargo bay, a fast escalating train approach a vicious turn, and a treacherous act of sabotage on the train tracks. The train derailed, sending the monsters to the forests and the mountains, and the train to the ditch.

The Nazi captain, revealing himself to be a wielder of dark and foul magics, attempted to slay all surviving passengers for reasons unknown; due to the actions of some of the passengers, he was slain.

The session ended with the survivors surveying their wreckage in the dark of night, and wolves howling in the wilds beyond the light of the lit coal fragments of the train’s engine.